The persistent delay in land allocation in Maun, amid the village’s increasing population, continues to create severe social and economic strain on the local community.
Tawana Land Board acknowledges that the rising population, which sits at approximately 93,986 residents, is driving an urgent need for residential plot allocations.
Currently, the waiting list for plots under the Maun Sub-Land Board jurisdiction includes 43,635 individuals seeking residential land, of which 26,266 applicants are from Maun village alone.
However, Acting Maun Sub-Land Board Secretary Bakani Dube has revealed that out of Maun’s massive waiting list, only 800 plots are currently available for allocation. Their planned allocation exercise is scheduled to be conducted from the 7th to the 17th of September this year.
“This high demand underscores the critical need to address housing and land allocation to accommodate the growing population,” Dube underscored when presenting the board’s delivery process during a stakeholder engagement workshop with North West District Councillors in Maun this week.
He emphasised the urgent need for reforms in the land allocation process. Dube noted that while Maun’s rapid expansion has brought growth and development initiatives, the layout delays worsen overcrowding and prevent citizens from investing in permanent housing.
As a mitigation plan to address the severe unavailability of land for allocation, the acting board secretary revealed that they intend to survey remaining open spaces within Maun. According to him, 10,000 plots are anticipated from this infill project, which is set to be completed in the fourth quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
He further revealed plans to acquire 50 hectares of land around the Polokabatho area, with recommendations for the formal repossession of the identified properties set for the third quarter of the 2026/27 financial year.
Meanwhile, beside Maun, only Shorobe and Sankoyo under the Maun Sub-Land Board jurisdiction have residential plots available for allocation, while the remaining nine villages of Komana, Chanoga, Makalamabedi, Matsaudi, Nxaraga, Phuduhudu, Somelo, Kwai, and Matlapana currently have none.
Dube revealed that there are 250 available plots planned to be allocated in Shorobe next month against a waiting list of 3,144, while Sankoyo has 88 available plots to be allocated next year against the village’s 144-person waiting list.
The board secretary also revealed that outside of those seeking residential plots, 13,492 individuals are applying for ploughing fields. Across all 12 villages under the Maun Sub-Land Board jurisdiction, Dube revealed that only Chanoga has agricultural land ready, with 208 plots planned to be allocated in February next year.
Be that as it may, Dube raised serious concerns about the illegal occupation of land on approved layouts and the outskirts of villages by squatters. As a mitigation plan, he revealed that a Squatter Management Committee has been formed to increase patrols and surveillance in vulnerable areas. The formal eviction of these squatters has also been recommended to the main Tawana Land Board.
